Translation guide
Describes someone who is determined to do what they want, often ignoring advice or opposition. In Japanese, this can be expressed through adjectives for stubbornness, willfulness, or recklessness, depending on the nuance.
To describe a person who insists on their own way and resists others' advice or control.
The most common and neutral word for stubbornness. Can be used for both positive and negative persistence.
To describe someone who acts on their own desires without regard for others, often in a childish or impulsive way.
To describe someone who rushes into action without thinking, often dangerously.
彼は頑固だから、一度決めたら絶対に曲げない。
He's so headstrong that once he decides something, he never backs down.
Emphasizes stubbornness out of pride or contrariness. Often used for someone who refuses to give in even when wrong.
妹は意地っ張りで、謝ろうとしない。
My younger sister is headstrong and won't apologize.
A slightly more formal or literary term for obstinacy. Often implies a rigid, unyielding attitude.
彼の強情な態度には手を焼いている。
I'm at my wit's end with his headstrong attitude.
Means selfish or willful. Commonly used for children or adults who insist on having their own way.
あの子はわがままで、いつも自分の思い通りにしようとする。
That child is headstrong and always tries to get his own way.
Suggests doing as one pleases, often with a nuance of freedom or capriciousness. Can be positive or negative.
彼女は気ままに旅を続けている。
She continues her travels in a headstrong, free-spirited way.
Literally 'not seeing the other side,' meaning reckless or foolhardy. Fits headstrong actions that ignore risks.
向こう見ずな運転は事故のもとだ。
Headstrong driving leads to accidents.
A four-character idiom meaning rushing headlong like a wild boar. Very vivid and literary.
彼の猪突猛進な性格が時に問題を起こす。
His headstrong, bullheaded personality sometimes causes problems.